This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The overarching objectives of Phase II WV-INBRE are: 1. Develop and enhance the multi-disciplinary statewide network research base by providing research support to faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students at the participating institutions. The network will maintain a scientific focus that will strengthen and build the lead and partner institutions. 2. Provide research opportunities for undergraduate students and to serve as a pipeline for undergraduate students to continue health research careers. 3. Work with partner institutions to enhance research activities for undergraduate students. 4. Enhance science and technology knowledge of the state's workforce. 5. Strengthen and develop stronger relationships between WV-INBRE and other NCRR biomedical research programs (e.g. COBRE and SEPA/HSTA) to enhance biomedical research opportunities for West Virginia's students and participating undergraduate faculty. The role of the Evaluation Core is to provide a summative data that demonstrates the accomplishments of WV-INBRE and provide a formative feedback on aspects of WV-INBRE that needs improvement in the next year. We accomplish this by conducting both an internal and an external evaluation, using tools such as surveys and external site visits by expert review panel. Our Internal evaluation monitors the accomplishments of WV-INBRE funded investigators. This is obtained by surveys that are sent to the major Principal investigators (PIs) and first investigators. We gather information such as the number of publications, abstracts and presentations by these investigators. We also monitor the number of grants submitted by the investigators for external funding. We track the improvements in research facilities and infrastructure in network institutions and the number of newer investigators recruited into the undergraduate institutions. We track the progress of our WV-INBRE summer program undergraduates and their accomplishments. Progress in WV-INBRE funded projects is periodically assessed during the steering committee meetings where the principal investigators present their work in progress. The annual research progress of the INBRE-funded investigators are monitored by the Administrative core (AC) as well as the External Advisory Committee (EAC) whose comments are collected to form the overall project evaluation. Members of the AC or the evaluation core periodically visit some of the network institutes to assess progress made in these funded institutions. Evaluation retreats are held annually during which the AC reviews the progress of each funded project and the progress made by each core of the WV-INBRE.